Air Inductor for Gutter Downspout

ABSTRACT

An air induction device is provided for mounting to a downspout to induce the flow of air in the downspout. The air induction device comprises a tubular member that is sealingly fitted through the downspout such that it provides fluid communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the downspout. The air induction device is preferably mounted on an upwardly facing surface of the downspout and at a location where the downspout is extending angularly downward or at a bend in the downspout, thereby orienting the tubular member at an upwardly extending oblique angle relative to the downspout.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/608,812, filed on Mar. 9, 2012, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to gravitational draining systems, andmore particularly, to devices that prevent clogging of downspouts.

2. Description of the Related Art

Gutters are mounted along the edges of roofs to collect water runningoff of the roof's surfaces. The gutters are mounted such that theydirect the water, via gravity, towards a downspout which extendsdownwardly from the gutter and serves as a pathway to the ground/stormsewer/french drain for the water.

While leaves, twigs, silt, and other debris will sometimes create clogsin a downspout, in times of particularly heavy rain a clog can occur asa result of too much water entering the downspout at once and preventingthe flow of air through the downspout. If the flow of air is restricted,the water will back up the downspout creating a clog.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide adevice for supplying air into the downspout in order to prevent ahydrolock due to the lack of airflow.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part beobvious, and in part appear hereinafter.

In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the presentinvention provides an air induction device to be mounted to a downspoutto induce the flow of air in a downspout. The air induction devicecomprises a tubular member that is sealingly fitted through thedownspout such that it provides fluid communication between theatmosphere and the interior of the downspout. The air induction deviceis preferably mounted on an upwardly facing surface of the downspout andat a location where the downspout is extending angularly downward or ata bend in the downspout, thereby orienting the tubular member at anupwardly extending oblique angle relative to the downspout.

Although the air induction device in and of itself will provide for theflow of air into the downspout by virtue of water running through thedownspout, thereby creating a pressure differential between theatmosphere and the fluid pathway created by the tubular member, a fan orblower could also be mounted within the tubular member to draw air intothe downspout. The fan could be powered, for example, by a solar cell,battery, or piezoelectric energy harvesting device that could beactuated via the wind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated byreading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the device mounted on a straight runof downspout;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of the air induction devicemounted on an interior bend of downspout;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation view of the air induction devicemounted on an exterior bend of downspout; and

FIG. 4 is a view of an alternate embodiment of the air induction device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer tolike parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 an air induction device,designated generally by reference numeral 10, mounted to a downspout 12having an inner channel 24, and having a bore formed therethrough 26 influid communication with inner channel 24 and the outside air 28.Downspout 12 interconnects gutter 14 to a storm sewer/french drain/daylighting pipe or simply to the ground for purposes of carrying rainwater and snow that runs off roof 16 and into gutter 14. It should berecognized by those of skill in the art that while the primaryapplication of the present invention is for gutters used in home andcommercial rain drainage systems, the present invention can be used withany gravitational drain systems, such as those employed on bridges,schools, factories, and apartments, including inside gravitational drainsystems.

In FIG. 1, air induction device 10 is mounted to the upwardly facingsurface of a diagonally extending, straight run of downspout 12, such asthe portion extending along diagonal X-X of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, airinduction device 10 is mounted to the upwardly facing surface of anelbow 18, and more precisely to the interior angle of elbow 18. In FIG.3, air induction device 10 is mounted to the upwardly facing surface ofan elbow 18, and more precisely to the exterior angle of elbow 18. Thepresent invention may be thus used with any gravity drain having alateral extending between elbows on an angle causing the speed of therain inside to increase, thereby providing suction and preventinghydrolocking when used with air induction device 10.

In each instance, air induction device 10 is mounted along an axis Y-Ythat is perpendicular to the axis of the downsput 12 or the tangent T-Tof the elbow 14, and also to the upwardly facing surface 30 of anon-vertically oriented run of downspout 12/elbow 18 to ensure thatthere is space between the water running through the downspout and theair induction device 10 due to the need for the running water to createa slight pressure differential between the open space within downspout12/elbow 18 and the atmosphere. This pressure differential creates airflow from the atmosphere, through air induction device 10 and intodownspout 12/elbow 18. By continuously supplying a flow of air intodownspout 12/elbow 18, even in times of heavy rainfall, a hydrolockedcondition will not occur within the downspout, and thus creating abackflow of rain water into and over the gutters 14.

With reference to FIG. 4, air induction device 10 may be equipped with afan/blower 20 that is powered by way of a power source 22. Power source22 may be any conventional type of low energy power source, such as asolar cell, piezoelectric energy harvester (such as one that utilizesvibrations caused by wind to create and store energy), or a battery. Inthe event the rush of rain water through downspout 12 is not sufficientto induce the flow of air through air induction device 10 and intodownspout 12, fan/blower 20 can provide the means for inducing theintroduction of air into downspout 12.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for preventing hydrolocking in agravitational drainage system, comprising: a downspout including aportion having an interior channel for carrying liquids along anon-vertical axis and an upwardly facing exterior surface; and an airinductor having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis therethrough,wherein the air inductor is interconnected to the upwardly facingexterior surface of said portion to provide fluid communication betweenthe interior channel of said portion and any ambient air.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion comprises a straight run. 3.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said air inductor is interconnected tostraight run so that the non-vertical axis is perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portioncomprises an elbow joint having an upwardly facing interior angleforming a non-vertical tangent.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, whereinsaid air inductor is interconnected to the elbow joint so that saidnon-vertical tangent is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion comprises an elbow jointhaving an upwardly facing exterior angle forming a non-vertical tangent.7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said air inductor is interconnectedto the elbow joint so that said non-vertical tangent is perpendicular tosaid longitudinal axis.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said airinductor further comprises a blower positioned to force said airsurrounding said downspout through the bore of said air inductor andinto the interior channel of said portion of said downspout.
 9. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein said power source is selected from the groupconsisting of a solar cell, a piezoelectric energy harvester, and abattery.
 10. A method of preventing hydrolocking in a gravitationaldrainage system including a downspout having a portion that formsinterior channel extending along a non-vertical axis and that includesan upwardly facing exterior surface, comprising the steps of: attachingan air inductor having a bore extending therethrough to said portion sothat said interior channel is in fluid communication with any ambientvia said bore; and allowing said air surrounding said downspout to flowinto the interior channel when a fluid is flowing through saiddownspout.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said portion comprises astraight run.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said air inductor isinterconnected to straight run so that the non-vertical axis isperpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
 13. The method of claim 10,wherein said portion comprises an elbow joint having an upwardly facinginterior angle forming a non-vertical tangent.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein said air inductor is interconnected to the elbow joint sothat said non-vertical tangent is perpendicular to said longitudinalaxis.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein said portion comprises anelbow joint having an upwardly facing exterior angle forming anon-vertical tangent.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said airinductor is interconnected to the elbow joint so that said non-verticaltangent is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
 17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of allowing said air surrounding saiddownspout to flow into the interior channel comprising actively blowingsaid air into said downspout by using a blower positioned in said airinductor to force said air surrounding said downspout through the boreof said air inductor and into said interior channel of said portion ofsaid downspout.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said blower isinterconnected to a power source.
 19. The method of claim 18, whereinsaid power source is selected from the group consisting of a solar cell,a piezoelectric energy harvester, and a battery.